Fetal heart rate monitoring at home and transmission by telephone

We assessed the feasibility of introducing a home fetal heart rate monitoring system into a tertiary care perinatal unit. In the first stage of the study, 38 hospitalized high-risk pregnant patients recorded nonstress tests (NSTs) in their rooms in the hospital and transmitted the data to the receiving unit via the telephone. In the second stage, 34 women accomplished home monitoring in addition to the regular in-hospital NSTs prescribed by their physicians. The total of 72 patients, whose gestations ranged from 29-43 weeks, attempted 307 recordings, of which 93% were transmitted successfully. Ninety-eight percent of the received NSTs were considered interpretable. Based on our results, it seems that the use of the home fetal monitor by the patient in conjunction with all of the other components of a tertiary perinatal care center is feasible, reliable, and safe.